The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-21


twn here and there'll be af1oat before
mting." And then came the dull roar
aurumble, the shock, the thrill, the ex-
plpn, once more.
'fhy, this is terrible" saidI. SIT seems
as elemental things were at work; as if
tharth was splitting and opening" And
VIE we waited and shivered, as one after
AMER of the great explosions came, the
doopened so quickly as to make US start,
anMrs. Sawyer ran in, her face as white
as hes.
messenger has just gone galloping by"
shgasped. "My husband met him. He
saythe dam at the falls has been carried
aw', and the mayor Of Fallstown has sent
wd by him to the mayor Of Harborbar to
looout for his BRIDGES
md the explosions" said Byran, joining
us,or we were all looking out now, in the
latiwilight, at the long glass door opening
onle river, above which a purpling mist
wahung, sis the Fallstown people trying
| to eak up the ice below them with dyna-
mi l guess we are in for it."
| 'don't know what we are going to do"
cri, Mrs. Sawyer. "Of course the moment
thee breaks up and goes sweeping down
| it vi make for the first outlet and that is
onlese low grass lands-running in here
onle very first low shore along the whole
colse of the river 1t is terrifying. If it
we only daylight l wouldn't mind it so
NH. We could see our way. We could
Sc what was coming. We should know
wire we were and what to do. But in the
ds You had better come over to our
| hose, Nan, and whatever we do we will all
dtogether. Merciful.powers! what was
tEl"
u was only the wind coming up-that
sebng, sweet south wind. 1t had broken
a bough from the old elm that had fallen on
the house. and at the same moment the last
explosion of the dynamite sounded. But it
was enough. Mrs. Sawyer's words were
ringing in my ears. In the dark all at once
| thought could see the torrent of broken
ice, the great blocks and sheets Of pointed,
Jagged ice, lifting themselves into one huge
wall, and sweeping round the bend and uI
the land, pushed by the mighty swelling OF
the tide Misunderstanding grinding, sweep
ing across all this low interval, over which
it would crash and pour and flow, to find
the river at point below and reach the sea-
The rush of the great black cold waters was
dlT6duI uDOL liz, IllC SOulltl VI OIlClIl III al
ears, the blowing of the wide dark water
breath. l felt myself helpless straw be
fore them. did not wait an instant. Inevel
thought of the others. | was not conscious
of any thought at all, but | screamed anc
turned and dashed out of the house anC
down the lane as fast, as breathlessly, al
l could race, through the mire and slush
and up the narrow road into the wood, feel
ing still that chill water breath blowing OF
me, hearing the terrible sound of the rasp
ing, piling, tumbling, roaring ice, and
never stopped till l fell painting anc
GREATNESS, and fainting at somebody's
feet, with the warm breath Of a grea
stag-hound in my face, and was being
lifted in somebody's arms, and saw, Whel
l opened my eyes, by the light Of the youn!
yellow moon through the wood, that it was
Mark, and he was kissing me with ki5!
as long as the space that had separated us
80, Mark Mark' l cried, "save me
save me! The freshet is coming; it is clos
upon us; we are all drowning! Take me u
to your house, to your dear old high house
and don't let ME ever leave it. o, Mark,
loved you all the time! Take me home
Don't let me go again. Forgive me; low
me. don't see how you can love me.
don't see how you can love anybody so will
full and vixenish and selfish and hateful
but oh you must-you must!"
81 am taking you home" said he, as 500
as he had the chance. "Do you suppose
will let you go again' shall have to fol-
give you. What else is there for me to do
l heard about the freshet. was just o
my way to you. We will have the ministe
up this very evening, if we can get hin
and you shall never so much as go out {
my arms again"
And he did. And here l am, perfect
happy in this fortress, this prison on
rock, this dungeon-so happy that l hav
not yet boon able to bring my shocke
nerves to the pass even of going dow
again to the grass lands, where Mark goe
down and manages every thing for me.
And the freshetl o, to be sure! VIII.
you see, that south wind shifted to easeerl.
and it froze again that night. And when
melted, it melted so gently that the il
went out of the river without anybody
knowing it. And there never was an
freshet-Hdrriet Prescott Spoford, IN Ha
psr's BGzdr.